I am looking for perspectives on straddling the fence between believing in Spirituality, and practicing selfish ambition.

I KNOW what the ramifications are, but I find myself in a position of having to express that to someone very dear to me, and some fresh thoughts on this will be very helpful.

Thank you.

cweiters

27-02-2007, 05:40 PM

Mandi Neill as a child I was thought things like this, you can't serve two masters, you can't straddle the fence. Now that I am older I know there is only one Master and the Master is not in a fence, even metaphorically speaking this is not true imho.

The Creator I have come to know and love, omni-present controller of everything, shapes every situation, event and occurrence, for the greater development of the believer. These old fables have kept me living in fear, instead of feeling the power of goodness within me. I personally would like to banish what I feel are lies like these; that God has set up a fence between his creation and we must choose one side or the other as if all things were not designed for greater goodness of those who believe. This is just my opinion I hope others will share theirs on this subject.

I am looking for perspectives on straddling the fence between believing in Spirituality, and practicing selfish ambition.

I KNOW what the ramifications are, but I find myself in a position of having to express that to someone very dear to me, and some fresh thoughts on this will be very helpful.

Thank you.

lemmex

27-02-2007, 08:04 PM

The fence is a good place to survey the land. The highest point. You can make it a barrier if you wish. But I find, it's usually a matter of replacement. What is that you wish to achieve with with this selfish ambition or spirituality. What makes you feel selfish. For example, take 2 man, each who make millions and million of dollars. One name uses it to builds factories and jobs and improve lives, the other well...is not so generious. Which is being selfish, if any. Unfortunately, selfishness is a path we (must) travel, but the fact you ask is the most telling. Neither thing is really what your talking about. I would tell you to keep reflecting, you will get down when you want to.

Mandi Neill

27-02-2007, 10:44 PM

lemmex, I think you hit the nail on the head with this one. What is that you wish to achieve with with this selfish ambition or spirituality? It is all about intention, rather than which side of the fence (which corner of the field) because as you said, cweiters, our Creator works ALL things together for the greater goodness of those who believe. Thanks,, keep the comments comming.

Here is a good example of the situation I am dealing with. What is the purpose of telling everyone around you that you are 100 pounds (kilos) overweight, and you don't want to be heavy, yet you refuse to excercise and insist on eating fatty foods? What is that person's intention? There is something very basic going on, and that is what I need guidence in handling,.. this, of course is not the issue, but this is a good example.

angelicious

28-02-2007, 08:14 AM

Here is a good example of the situation I am dealing with. What is the purpose of telling everyone around you that you are 100 pounds (kilos) overweight, and you don't want to be heavy, yet you refuse to excercise and insist on eating fatty foods? What is that person's intention? There is something very basic going on, and that is what I need guidence in handling,.. this, of course is not the issue, but this is a good example.

Kia ora,

Based on your example of "the situation" you are dealing with, here is a possible solution in dealing with...."the situation". Are you ready? Here it is........

Give constructive advice ONLY if it is asked for. Otherwise, just be there to support & guide that person to figuring out a solution for themselves (if it's not you) through simply listening.

:D Here's an example (makes me laugh making up an example like this, tehehe):
"I'm so fat, I need to lose weight, what should I do?
"Well, if you're looking to lose weight, a dietition would know the best way to lose it, do you want me to call one for you?"
"No thanks, I love my junk food too much & I bet that's the first thing they'll take off me. And exercise???? No Way!".
"Oh, well, whatever you decide to do, I'm here for support"
"Awesome, thank you. You know, I did see this program........bla bla bla...." :D

GoldChord

28-02-2007, 08:47 AM

Hello,

It's called fear.

Actually doing someting about your problem requires courage - to look at yourself, to delve into issues and examine decisions you have made. It's scary - because you might discover things about yourself that are confronting, challenging. What if you can't do it? What if this is all you are? Who will I be without this 'issue/weight/addiction/emotion'? Do not be hard on this person - they are just afraid.

Take care.

angelicious

28-02-2007, 09:40 AM

It's interesting how powerful fear is when allowed to reign. Well, whatever the reason, and whoever needs your help Mandi, the goodness in your heart will have you responding to the situation it totally perfect ways.

Bless you and all that you endeavour to do.

tiltjlp

28-02-2007, 10:10 AM

Here is a good example of the situation I am dealing with. What is the purpose of telling everyone around you that you are 100 pounds (kilos) overweight, and you don't want to be heavy, yet you refuse to excercise and insist on eating fatty foods? What is that person's intention? There is something very basic going on, and that is what I need guidence in handling,.. this, of course is not the issue, but this is a good example.

Hi Mandi,

I'll try to offer some insight into the example you have presented, since I'm a good bit more than 100 pounds overweight. I'm 5' 7" short, and have been as heavy as 375 pounds. I'm also 60 years old, diabetic, and disabled, which means I can't exercise. Probably 12-15 years ago I bottomed out at 260 pounds, at which weight I found I had a lot of energy.

Not being able to exercise, it's extremely difficult to lost weight. I requires following my diabetic meal plan very closely, which can be difficult when you've been overweight all your adult life. My mother was also diabetic and very much overweight, and many of my eating habits came from her.

Luckily, I have lost 30 pounds over the past six months, [I see my doctor and am weighed every 3 months] and should find that I've continued to lose more weight when I see my doctor again in six weeks. My doctor and my two best friends are all supportive of my efforts, but don't jump on me if I have setbacks.

I can tell you that for someone with huge amounts of weight to lose, it sometimes can seem as if it is useless to even try. But once you start losing, if undue pressure isn't put on you to lose even more, your momentum can help you to keep losing. Be supportive and encouraging, but don't make weight the only thing you focus on. As of my last doctor's visit I was 302 pounds, so I'm pretty sure I'm below 300 pounds again for the first time in probably 6-8 years. As long as no one, including myself, puts too much pressure on me, I'm hopeful of getting down to 250. But even if I don't, I'm a success for trying.

John

Bob23

28-02-2007, 11:07 AM

I am looking for perspectives on straddling the fence between...

Hello Mandi,

This 'fence' you're alluding to which divides or splits something else in two...can I just clarify that you are speaking figuratively here aren't you?

This apparent dividing line is just a metaphor isn't it?

And being a pretend fence and not actually real at all, it must seem real as an imaginary abstraction right?

So if there is no real fence and it's just a construct in mind, in whos mind is this imaginary fence appearing to cause what it apparently causes?

Sometimes 'Spirituality' can really stretch the limits of what is real. After all, if there was a real fence to deal with, with one thing on one side and something else on the other side of it, it would be a lot easier to work with in this regard.

Imaginary seperated appearances, not being real to start with, are fun to work with if we remember they have no existence or boundaries to just drop, simply because there was nothing there to pick up in any real sense to start with!

This is intended as an answer to the question underneath the apparent reality of the questioner's own projection and is intended as another perspective for that seeker.

Namaste,

Bob23. :wink:

Mandi Neill

03-03-2007, 01:58 PM

:hug3: I want to thank all of you for your points of light. It gave me something to focus on - rather, - something to not focus on, which was myself. And GoldChord, you are so 'there'. Fear was a big part of it for me and the person I was concerned with, because we are both so connected. So, it was the fear of whateveritwas. Fear of loss? As a piece of the whole, it is impossible to lose what cannot be taken away from me. Fear of what somebody else may think? Who? It is the Infinite that counts, that's why I came here. Thank you.

You are correct Bob23, :tongue: the 'fence' was just a metaphor, and it was all in my mind, and as long as my mind and my thoughts were focusing on a 'division', metaphorically or not, and not on the reality that we are all one, then, according to The Law of Attraction, I was evoking the very fence that was being straddled!

This came up as my 'quote for the day' and it wouldn't have the same meaning if you all hadn't helped me as well.

"If you've got somebody's aspects in your experience that you don't like, there's only one reason they're there. You keep evoking them with your attention to them. Without knowing about Law of Attraction, you have -- through your old habit of observation -- achieved vibrational harmony with the parts of them that you do not like, and you keep summoning those parts from them by your constant vibrational offering of them. "

tiltjlp :D My mom was heavy, in the 400's, diabetic, and I lost her in 1968 when I was very young, so I will never be more than 10 pounds heavier than I'm "supposed" to be. I have a tendancy to use weight as an example whenever I need an example. I can only imagine what you are going through. Seems to me that you've taken the bull by the horns, so to speak, and literally taken control. Bravo! Thanks for the support as well because, just by seeking an answer to, what at the time seemed monumental, I have, ( look at this ) 1/2 dozen people from all over the world helping to make sense of all and it worked.